Adjustable reflector for headlights



I 0. A. GARDEN. ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR FORv HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.16.19I9.

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ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR FOR HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I6. 1919.

3 0 30 v I Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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DAVID A. GARDEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR FOR HEADLIGHTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID A. GARDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Reflectors for Headlights, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention consist in the novel disclosure that is hereinafter particularly described and distinctly claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide an imp oved means for preventing those disestrous collisions, of automobiles and other vehicles that have heretofore occurred because of the use thereon of glaring head-. lights, which, because of the powerfulelectric lights (and gas lights) carried by antomobiles and railway locomotives after darkness has set in, have been and now are a great menace to life and property, by reason of the glaring of the reflectors of such headlights causing the drivers of the automobiles and locomotives (as well as pedestrians and other persons) to become confused and blinded, thereby causing great damage and loss of life and limb.

A further object-of my invention is to accomplish the improved result described in the last paragraph above without in the least dimming the lights by any of the colored coverings heretofore and now resorted to.

On the other hand, a further object of my invention is to do away with glaring headlights without in any manner interfering with the passage of ample light downwardly and for a reasonable distance in front of the vehicle or locomotive at all times, and yet cast the rays of light a long distance ahead, until another vehicle or locomotive is met,

when the section or sections of the reflectors would be adjusted to what I call a city addesired length of time) limiting the distance that the rays of light are thrown ahead, as

may be required by the traflic laws or rules. In accomplishing these objects I make use of movable o'r adjustable oarts of the head-- lights (preferably parts of the reflectors) without in any manner changing the posi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Application filed August 16, 1919. Serial No. 317,942.

tion of the casing or supporting brackets of the headlights, as is commonly done in mounting and operating dirigible headlights.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a sectioned side-elevation of an electric headlight having one form of my invention applied thereto, or as used in practising my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the electrical connections being shown in diagrammatic form, and

Fig. 3 is a rear sectioned elevation, the section being taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

'lhe numeral 1 designates the outer casing of the headlight, which is fitted with the usual front closure or other part 2 carrying any suitable form of lens 3. i

In the present illustration of my invention, the 'lens is not 'made in sections, and no for avoiding the glaring efi'ect; but the reflector is of the usual form except that it is made in sections, one section being movable or adjustable, to avoid the glaring efl'ect previously described.

device) will be directed at all times when said lighting device is in operation, down-.

wardly and outwardly toa limited distance,

, in full force.

The lower half of the reflector, which I have designated by the numeral 6, is movable and adjustableiai'id'in fact is wholly or partially disappearing, behind .and above the said fixed section whereby the glaring effect will be wholly or partially done away with, as desired by the operator] In the present instance, the said lower half or section 6 of the reflector is rotatably mounted within said casing 1 by having its front end supported and guided by a series of small rollers or wheels 7 mounted upon pintles 8 fixed transversely in the opposite walls of a channel 9 at the front end of said part of the lens is movable or adjustable I rotatable section 6, so that said rollers or of said casing 1 when the rotatable section is moved.

The said channel 9 forms a complete circle,

although the rotatable section die but a half circular channel does this very efliciently.

However, the said channel 9 and its wheels or rollers 7 may be discarded in all such cases that permit of a very long and durable bearing at the rear end 'of said rotatable section 6.

Such a bearing I will now describe.

The rear portion of the said rotatable reflectpr-section 6 ismade in the form of a hollow or tubular boss 10, which is mounted in a bearing 11 at the rear end of said casing 1, and a pinion 12 is fixed to the rear end of said tubular boss, so that the teeth of said pinion will mesh with the teeth of a rack-bar 14.

Passing loosely through the bore of the said tubular boss 10, and forming a journal therefor, is a hollow tube 15, which extends into the reflector and. carries the lighting device 5 at its front end.

'The said pinion 12 also has a bearing upon the said tube 15,1the latter passing loosely through a bearing aperture formed in said pinion.

The rear portion of the said tube 15 is extended rearwardly a sufficient distance to pass through a fixed bearing 16 at the upper end of the lamp-bracket 17, and to project beyond the housing 18 which incloses the said pinion 12 and adjacent operating parts.

The numeral 19 designates the usual electric connections for the said lighting-device 5, in case the said device is an electric lamp,

. said connections extending through said tube 15 to said lamp, and adapted to be used in conveying current from any source of electricity.

A set-screw 20, or a pan, locks the said v tube 15 in the said lamp-bracket bearing 16,

and thereby prevents either the rotation or longitudinal movement of the said tube.

. 'A roller 21' is mounted on a pintle 22 extending across the space beneath said rackbar 14, to hold said rack-bar in position during the engagement of its teeth with the teeth of said pinion 12.

- From the above descrlption, it will be seen that whenever the said rack-bar is moved I longitudinally there will be a corresponding The means for moving the rack-bar.

The rack-bar 14 may, of course, be moved by hand, or by any means connected thereto and extended to a point in convenient reach of the operator.

However, in the present case I have shown it moved by electrical mechanism composed of an electro-magnet in the form ofJa solenoid 23 having the usual core 24, which latter is formed integralwith, or connected to, the said rack-bar 14, to draw the said core into, or to force it out of, the said solenoid, as an electric current is supplied to the latter through the usual electrical-con nections or wires 25,

Current may be supplied from a storagebattery 26, or other source of electricity,

which is connected to the said solenoid 23 In the present case I have shown a coiled spring 32 attached at one of its ends to the housing 18, and having its opposite end.

connected to the said rack-bar 14, for the purpose of moving the latter in one direction, in opposition to the power of the said solenoid 23.

In some cases the said spring can be done away with, and the same operation can be accomplished by duplicating the electromagnet 23 and its electrical connections, as

shown, to move thesaid rack-bar 14 in both directions.

The operation.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood without further description, by those skilled in the art, it being only. necessary to add that the operator can (by the means herein shown and described) throw the said rotatable section 6 of the reflector entirely behind the upper fixed section 4, or only partl}y behind'or above the same, as shown in ig. 2, where the said rotatable section is illustrated as partially moved.

The spring 32 can be arranged to normally hold the said movable section 6 of the reflectorin a position to make a complete long-distance reflector, sothat when it is desired to prevent glaring the electric current will only be used momentarily, to energize said magnet 23, in such operation; thereby economizing in the use of current.

I claim: I A non glaring long distance headlight, comprising a casing, a reflector made in two sections and mounted in said casing, one of said sections being fixed at the top of said casing and the other one of said sections being mounted to rotate to a position above and behind the said fixed section; and means connected to the said rotatable section for 15 moving same to a position. above and behind said fixed section as well as for bringing said rotatable section to a position below said fixed section.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 20 name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID A. GARDEN.

Witnesses:

WINIFRED MoHALE, J OHN C. HIGDON. 

